World premiere in the Wallraf-Richartz-Museum
Claudel & Rodin, Münter & Kandinsky or Saint Phalle & Tinguely – the names of these artist couples are known to almost every friend of the arts. So it is all the more surprising that there has never been a comprehensive exhibition that has examined the subject of „Couples in Art“. In a world premiere that opens on 31 October 2008, the Wallraf will show how artists have influenced and inspired one another through their love for one another. The exhibition „Artist Couples – Love, Art and Passion“, looks at the lives, the love and the work that united thirteen celebrated artist pairs. Tempestuous and scandalous liaisons such as between Frida Kahlo & Diego Rivera will be presented alongside seemingly more conventional relationships à la Paula Modersohn-Becker & Otto Modersohn. Regardless of how the romances between the individual artists developed, the exhibition demonstrates that they all had an enormous creative process in common. And even after their love faded, some of these couples continued to remain deeply influenced by one another in their creative output. Niki de Saint Phalle & Jean Tinguely for instance both allowed the other to cast a critical eye at any time on their work – even years after they had separated.
The around one hundred works on show at the Wallraf until 8 February 2009 will tell of the influence of love on art. Artist Couples – Love, Art and Passion offers a unique behind-the-scenes insight into this fascinating topic. And it takes the visitor through some of the most thrilling chapters of art history and the passing epochs: from Expressionism (Gabriele Münter & Wassily Kandinsky, or Marianne von Werefkin & Alexej von Jawlensky) to Dada (Hannah Höch & Raoul Hausmann), and right up to „Action Painting“ (Lee Krasner & Jackson Pollock). The exhibition receives the kind support of the Kunststiftung NRW and will travel on from Cologne to The Hague. It will be on show there from 21 February to 1 June 2009 at the Gemeentemuseum.
Photo: Wallraf-Richartz-Museum